Asus Launches Eee PC T91, a Touch-Screen Tablet Netbook

Does it ... by just_another_sean · 2009-07-15 03:55 · Score: 4, Interesting

run Linux? Seriously.

Oh, wait here we go:

# Intel Atom Z520 @ 1.33GHz, 533MHz FSB; 512K Cache
# Intel US15W chipset
# 1GB of DDR2 Memory
# 8.9 inch LCD (1024x600 resolution); LED backlight, Resistive Touch Panel
# Intel GMA 500 integrated graphics
# 16GB ASUS-JM S41 solid state drive (SSD)
# 16GB SDHC Card Included
# 10GB Eee Online Storage
# 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi
# Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
# No optical drive
# 0.3 megapixel webcam + Digital Array Microphone
# VGA Output
# USB 2.0 x 2
# RJ-45 (Ethernet 10/100)
# Headphone / Mic Input Jacks
# MMC/SD card reader
# Twin speakers
# Gesture-enabled trackpad
# 2.11 Pounds (with battery installed)
# 0.99 - 1.11 inches thick
# Non-Removable Li-ion Battery (Up To 5 Claimed Hours of Computing)
# 8.85" (W) x 6.45" (D) x 0.99 - 1.11" (H)
# Windows XP Home
# Color Options: White, Black
# Protective Sleeve
# 1-year limited warranty

Guess we'll have to find out for ourselves (as usual)! :-)

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Re:Does it ... by Shikaku · 2009-07-15 04:01 · Score: 2, Informative

Consider it bought for me. It's $500 (the price is on the last page).
Re:Does it ... by TaggartAleslayer · 2009-07-15 04:02 · Score: 1

I am going to say yes. Asus is pretty great about providing drivers for their EEE line. My EEE Netbook came with a terrible Xandros build pre-installed, and I switched to Windows 7 pretty quickly, but all of the support was there.
Re:Does it ... by Marcika · 2009-07-15 04:10 · Score: 4, Informative

Does it run Linux? Seriously.
Not very well, probably. From the Wikipedia article on Intel GMA:
The Intel System Controller Hub US15W for the Atom processor Z5xx series features a GMA 500 graphic system. Rather than being developed in-house, this core is a PowerVR SGX core licensed from Imagination Technologies. Since PowerVR is not cooperative with the open source movement, this has resulted in the reliance of out dated closed source Linux drivers.
Re:Does it ... by jo42 · 2009-07-15 04:16 · Score: 5, Informative

Why not pick up a real tablet system, like a Dell Latitude XT off of eBay for $600-$700? Core 2 Duo, 3GB of RAM, 80GB HD, 12" LED LCD multi-touch screen, etc. I snarfed one "new open box" for $650 USD a couple of weeks back -- looked brand new/ever used.
Re:Does it ... by Freetardo+Jones · 2009-07-15 04:20 · Score: 5, Insightful

Because this is more portable and power efficient?
Re:Does it ... by HawkinsD · 2009-07-15 04:20 · Score: 0, Offtopic

Aaaargh! I accidentally moderated this "Redundant." I meant to moderate it "Informative." There doesn't seem to be a way to take back a moderation. So I'm an idiot, and I apologize for my fat fingers.

--
Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by mere idiocy.
Re:Does it ... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 04:36 · Score: 1, Informative

You can remove moderation by commenting in the story.
This is because you are not allowed to post and moderate in the same article.
So actually, you did what you wanted to, even if you weren't aware you were doing it.
Re:Does it ... by PenisLands · 2009-07-15 04:38 · Score: 1

If you comment on an article, you can't moderate posts in it. If you moderate posts and then comment in the same article, your moderations are reversed (but you don't get your mod points back).
Re:Does it ... by shacky003 · 2009-07-15 04:40 · Score: 3, Funny

# Gesture-enabled trackpad hmm.. with xp, a non-removable battery pack, and just for the hell of it the .3mp webcam (hello 2000!) I've got a gesture for it - I wonder if it'll crash on receiving it..
Re:Does it ... by erroneus · 2009-07-15 04:42 · Score: 1

Convenient breakdown. It really looks like other ASUS devices in terms of specs. Looks like they merely adapted the mods that others have been doing to them for a while and added a swivel screen.
What they should have done is included the 1080p display screens that have been emerging lately. The higher pixel count really helps a lot when it comes to running various operating systems on it. And while other people were asking what OSes can run on it, Windows or Linux, I was thinking "Is ASUS trying to beat Apple to the punch?" So will it run the variety of MacOSX that Apple will put onto its yet to be announced touch screen netbook?
Re:Does it ... by xlotlu · 2009-07-15 04:43 · Score: 0, Redundant

Don't worry, moderations are undone when you post in the same thread.
Re:Does it ... by Penguinoflight · 2009-07-15 04:45 · Score: 1

Portable, yes. Power efficient, no. While an Atom does use less power than a C2D, the C2D gives you more performance per watt.

--
"And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the World"
1 John 4:14
Re:Does it ... by morgan_greywolf · 2009-07-15 04:45 · Score: 3, Insightful

Why bother? Because it has a touch screen?
Give me a real keyboard and pointing device over a touch screen any day of the week. Use an iPhone (non-Apple-fanbois only, please) or another touchscreen phone like Samsung Instinct and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about. Garbage. They're just incredibly frustrating to work with (I know, I know, you'll get to used to it. What if I don't want to?)
I can pick up a Dell Mini 10 for under $500 that has the same processor and memory configuration, 4 times the SSD space, a bigger screen with the same screen resolution (or, for an extra $50, one that does 1366x768), everything else being comparable. Oh, and this one actually comes with Ubuntu 8.04 pre-loaded instead of that Microsoft proprietary garbage.

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Re:Does it ... by RiotingPacifist · 2009-07-15 04:47 · Score: 5, Interesting

If you want power efficiency why use x86? This comes in cheaper ($299-$399), has a battery life of 10+hrs (3-5 for the cheap one)

--
IranAir Flight 655 never forget!
Re:Does it ... by Shikaku · 2009-07-15 04:56 · Score: 2, Interesting

Why bother? Because it has a touch screen?
Um, yes!? I'd use it to take notes, draw pictures, and it also has A KEYBOARD, so I can use it as a regular laptop too.
Oh, and play http://osu.ppy.sh/ too. All work and no play and all that jazz.
Re:Does it ... by Shikaku · 2009-07-15 05:00 · Score: 1

My laptop is currently using open source ATI drivers from Ubuntu. That had no prompt to even install. Yes it works 100%.
Re:Does it ... by Nursie · 2009-07-15 05:02 · Score: 2, Informative

Umm, no. Intel GFX chips are in general well supported with new, FOSS drivers. nVidia have modern closed drivers. ATI have some of both. Any of those would be better.
Re:Does it ... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 05:04 · Score: 1, Insightful

Even from an embedded perspective such as the beagleboard using the TI OMAP3530 SoC (PowerVR SGX530 + ARM Cortex-A8).
From what I've experienced you have to jump through a bunch of hoops to get a chance to the closed source graphics libraries in order to utilize the SGX530 graphics controller and those libraries aren't quite stable either. If you look on youtube for demonstrations of the beagleboard and PowerVR's SGX530 controller you'll notice those who posted those videos are all TI employees or associates since they're the only ones who have easy access to such libraries at this time.
Of which I find to be a huge disappointment since the beagleboard developers are all showing off Linux on the board, yet give no love to the community to actually give them a helping hand. I have since figured out that the beagleboard project isn't very well organized when it comes to getting the thing up and running. Blackfin's uclinux community project is far more organized and at least gives you a good starting point by using their distribution. Beagleboard it's just references to a bunch of distributions of which have no actual documented use with beagleboard.
OK enough of my ranting, sorry.
Re:Does it ... by csimpkin · 2009-07-15 05:04 · Score: 4, Informative

The Intel GMA500 graphics are very broken on linux right now. I wouldn't buy this if you want 3d acceleration to work. Also, if you want to use it for watching HD video, you should wait until the driver problems are addressed.
Re:Does it ... by diegocgteleline.es · 2009-07-15 05:08 · Score: 5, Insightful

In other words, is very Linux-unfriendly. So I won't buy such crap. It's sad that we have lost a company that supports linux, fortunately there are others.
Re:Does it ... by xlotlu · 2009-07-15 05:09 · Score: 1

I've been waiting for a while to see some development with the PowerVR drivers (wanted to get a Poulsbo netbook).
Soon enough the AlwaysInnovating touchbook should be out, which is built around the TI OMAP3530. That's Cortex A8 + PowerVR SGX530 and it's gonna run linux, so we'll see if it's just more binary blobs or there's some real work going on.
Re:Does it ... by Aphonia · 2009-07-15 05:13 · Score: 1

Not to mention that you get a good digitizer on the Dell Latitude XT (ntrig) , and other tablets have wacom/finepoint digitizers instead of whatever cheap crap is on the T91.
Its essentially a gimmicky touchscreen - about as useful as the XPS one or something and much in the same manner. Maybe as a slideshow viewer or a movie viewer, but not good one to write with id guess.
Re:Does it ... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 05:14 · Score: 0

Isn't that still vaporware?
Re:Does it ... by initialE · 2009-07-15 05:18 · Score: 1

GMA 500: this means no osx86 on this baby for the moment.

--
Starbucks, Harbuckle of Breath.
Re:Does it ... by GNious · 2009-07-15 05:24 · Score: 1

But does it run OSX if I put an apple-sticker on it?
Re:Does it ... by Sj0 · 2009-07-15 05:57 · Score: 1

Not to mention, outside of the US eBay is murder. Pay $700 for a laptop, then enjoy the extra $100 to get it shipped, if you're lucky.

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It's been a long time.
Re:Does it ... by hairyfeet · 2009-07-15 05:57 · Score: 1

Which makes me wonder-Why is everyone forcing the super crappy Atom on everything? How damned cheap is Intel giving these things away for if you would cripple your device over a Celeron/Sempron? Because after playing with a few customers Atom based Netbooks I found the nearly decade old 1.1GHz Celeron I'm typing this on now simply had better performance and gave me a better experience than their Netbook.
So I am curious-exactly how damned cheap is Intel selling this thing below the Cele/Sempy? Because I for one would rather have even a bottom of the line Cele/Sempy over the Atom. The Atom may be cheap on juice but from my experience the lousy performance just wasn't worth it.

--
ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
Re:Does it ... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 06:07 · Score: 0

As someone whose current laptop came equipped with a Celeron M, I can tell you that you DO NOT want one.
The primary issue being lack of speedstep capability on all Celeron M's, and all C2D celerons other than the Celeron 420.
Atoms have that. In addition the tdp on the Celeron M's is 25W @ 1.8ghz while the atoms are 4 watts @ 1.6, both with 512K L2
Now mind you disabling hyperthreading might help performance a bit, given that the Atoms only allow a 533 or 667 FSB.
Re:Does it ... by socrplayr813 · 2009-07-15 06:30 · Score: 0, Flamebait

Apparently you're not the type who wants a touch screen. There's a world outside your mom's basement and some of us want touch screens.
I have an HP tablet and I love it. I use the touch screen all the time. I don't even use it for drawing/handwriting that much and I still wouldn't trade it, even if you offered me something with 5 times the computing power. I have a desktop if I need raw power.

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The confidence of ignorance will always overcome the indecision of knowledge.
Re:Does it ... by An+ominous+Cow+art · 2009-07-15 06:51 · Score: 1

Looks interesting. This says the first batch is supposed to start shipping this month.
Re:Does it ... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 06:58 · Score: 0

It depends what you use the things for. My netbook sits in the living room and does everything we need in terms of youtube/email/browsing/netfix on demand. It's also tiny and has decent battery life, unlike any older laptops I have. I can use it to watch 2 movies on a plane, which is about all I ever need. It has excellent built in wifi, unlike the pc card which sticks out of the side of my old laptop, making it even more unwieldy. It has an SD slot, so I don't need a cable for my camera when travelling. I'm totally happy with the processor performance, and I'd never get a netbook which didn't use a low-power chip - it just defeats the purpose.
Re:Does it ... by mopower70 · 2009-07-15 07:04 · Score: 3, Insightful

Saying that performance per watt is the same as power efficiency is like saying that horsepower per hour per gallon is the same as miles per gallon. If that were the case, there would be no difference in gasoline efficiency between a gas electric hybrid and an equivalent standard vehicle.
Re:Does it ... by haifastudent · 2009-07-15 07:20 · Score: 1

Portable, yes. Power efficient, no. While an Atom does use less power than a C2D, the C2D gives you more performance per watt.
Not only that, but the chipset uses 19 watts alone. Great, now you've got a 19 watt chipset behind an 4 watt (or 8 watt, I don't know if the Z520 is dual core or not) processor.

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Re:Does it ... by Penguinoflight · 2009-07-15 07:28 · Score: 1

I'll bite. There is no difference in gasoline efficiency between a gas electric hybrid and an equivalent standard vehicle; the problem is finding a "standard" vehicle that meets the same performance, reliability, & safety metrics of a hybrid: you will be hard pressed to find any.
I think the major argument countering the poor performance of said hybrids is that an average commuter doesn't need anything better than a top speed of 90 & a 0-60 time of 9 seconds. We'll leave that argument for another thread.
The difference with computers is that many people can use more power than is provided from an Atom processor, and where that is true the amount of time spent on the system is reduced when the system is faster. Even when all you are doing is browsing, or simple word processing those core2 and like systems can be downclocked significantly. While a core2 @ 800mhz might seem slow, it will still be faster than an Atom @ any speed, and use a similar amount of watts.

--
"And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the World"
1 John 4:14
Re:Does it ... by Locklin · 2009-07-15 08:01 · Score: 2, Informative

If you want power efficiency why use x86? This [alwaysinnovating.com] comes in cheaper ($299-$399), has a battery life of 10+hrs (3-5 for the cheap one)
Because they haven't built or sold one yet?

--
"Knowledge is the only instrument of production that is not subject to diminishing returns" -Journal of Political Econom
Re:Does it ... by Buelldozer · 2009-07-15 08:14 · Score: 1

That ai.com device sure looks interesting. The only reason I don't pre-order one right this minute is because of how shaky their OS build out is. They're essentially releasing a product before it's ready and saying "Trust us to make it work right later.".
Since I don't know anything about them or their product, and having been burned one time too many, $400 is an awful lot of trust to extend.
What bites is since I live in the M.o.N. (Middle of Nowhere) it may be years before I get to put my hands on one, if I ever do.
Wish there was a way to see it, touch it, and goof with it to verify the hardware and see how polished their software build is.
Re:Does it ... by wowbagger · 2009-07-15 08:40 · Score: 1

Normally I don't see or respond to ACs, but I will second this: the OMAP3 and the Beagleboard are very interesting, but trying to get the video acceleration and the DSP going is WAY too hard, due to the closed source parts. Imagitec, if you are reading this: You make money selling the core IP to the companies, not by selling the drivers - MAKE THE DAMN DRIVERS OPEN AND GET THEM INTO XORG!
And while I am ranting, a bit pointed towards all the folks working on the Free software items, like kernel drivers: PUSH IT UPSTREAM! Get the kernel drivers into the mainline kernel source, rather than forcing me to play patch-monkey from half-a-dozen branches to get power management, 2D video drivers, DSP Bridge, and all the other features working in ONE kernel at the same time.

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Re:Does it ... by Korin43 · 2009-07-15 08:48 · Score: 1

Because some people (presumably the kind of people who buy netbooks) care more about battery life than performance. I know when i bought my laptop I chose the slowest processor/video card combination I could find..
Re:Does it ... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 09:10 · Score: 0

all the kernel mode part of the driver is open source, but all the usermode (api support) is closed.
Re:Does it ... by Svartalf · 2009-07-15 09:10 · Score: 1

The only ones that aren't are the ones they supply with select Atom based machines. The GMA500 isn't an Intel part, but an SGX-53X series part from Imagination Technologies (PowerVR part...).

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I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
Re:Does it ... by Svartalf · 2009-07-15 09:14 · Score: 1

It's liable to be just blobs for the SGX530 stuff- there is NO info that is not explicitly under NDA on the programming on that core right at the moment. There's an RE effort going on with a few people on the OpenPandora boards, but it's not complete yet.

--
I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
Re:Does it ... by hairyfeet · 2009-07-15 09:46 · Score: 1

While what you say is true, it is more of a "self fulfilling prophecy" in the Intel is intentionally crippling the Celeron by killing speedstep to make the C2D more attractive. Why is it everyone has a fit when MSFT threatens to cripple like the three app limit in Win7 starter, but here you have Intel doing the same trick and nobody says anything?
It isn't like the old days where they simply took bad cache P3s and blew out the cache to make a Celeron, as I seriously doubt that Intel has piles of "bad speedstep" chips lying around. And that still doesn't answer the question of why anyone would prefer the crappy in order Atom over Sempron or even a Via chip, as I got to play with a few Via based setups and they too ran nicer than the Atom. The only Atom based I have found even remotely appealing is the Ion platform, but that simply makes up for the crappy Atom with a better GPU.
So seriously, how damned cheap are they selling these things for anyway? Considering the Celeron has traditionally been a bad cache Intel chip they must be really fricking cheap if they are crippling the Celeron with no speedstep but allowing the Atom to have it. And while I agree that folks will put up with some pretty shitty performance in a portable if it gets them a little extra juice (although I would argue that running DSL Linux with the TORAM flag you can get halfway decent battery life out of nearly anything by removing disk I/O) that still doesn't explain nettops to me which are still choosing the crappy Atom even when power isn't a concern.
So either they are able to make this chip for pennies or they are selling at cost to take over the market. Because I just haven't seen the performance out of an Atom that even this 1.1GHz P3 based Celeron gives me, especially with all the JavaScript heavy Web 2.0 stuff on the net today.

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ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
Re:Does it ... by Eil · 2009-07-15 09:54 · Score: 1

run Linux? Seriously.
The first few marketing seem to show it running Moblin, which is based on Linux and is 100% the perfect OS and interface for this style of computer.
But of course, the spec sheet lists Windows XP. And lately Asus has been totally putting out for Microsoft.
One of these days, I keep praying that OEMs will wise up to the fact that the importance of quality software is rapidly overtaking the importance of the quality of the hardware.
Re:Does it ... by xlotlu · 2009-07-15 10:08 · Score: 1

Interesting, I forgot Pandora was supposed to use it as well. Good luck to them, but reverse engineering 3D features in GPUs is damn difficult as nouveau shows. There's also the beagleboard, which IIRC has a blob available only for 2.6.27, but these devices obviously don't give enough incentive to PowerVR to keep developing their linux drivers.
Too bad it's so damn difficult having open-source GPU drivers. Kudos to Intel and ATI, but Intel's hardware is not there yet, and ATI sold their low-power/embedded designs to Qualcomm. Maybe they'll be nice about it when their Snapdragon devices come out.
Re:Does it ... by loki_tiwaz · 2009-07-15 10:30 · Score: 1

being that we already know intel graphics works out of the box with any moderately recent x server, i can't see how anything else is not going to work, the bluetooth (a very nice addition) is probably the same as the dongle asus sells, which i've personally configured and used with linux. the only issue might be the touchscreen driver. i'm sure we won't have to wait long for someone to sus this one out for us... and fix it if it's not working.
i personally would probably try and slap a cut down vista on it, but i'm a bit crazy like that. 16gb ssd is definitely big enough.
given a memory upgrade i think this machine would be pretty sweet all in all. i used to own an eee pc 901 and i imagine that this one will definitely be an improvement - and i didn't find the speed of my 901 an unacceptable tradeoff for being able to hold the laptop in one hand with ease.
i don't understand why this whinge about it not playing high def content... it's not a high def display, it's only just slightly larger than standard definition pal DVD resolution. if it can play those ok who cares about whether it can render and then scale down content bigger than it is capable of displaying. this is an area where the gigabyte m912 would be superior, having a higher resolution 1280x800 display and a gruntier processor. but those kinds of extras are where your extra 200-300 dollars goes on the 912 (if you can get one).
i also see this as being a hot seller for children. it has an SSD, it's cheap but decent build quality, and a touchscreen with stylus. kids would love to scribble on that screen i'm sure, and the keyboard size would be ideal.
Re:Does it ... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 10:46 · Score: 0

Well I've got a Kohjinsha SX3 for some time now. Which I will compare with the parent's specs (V in front of the # to mark a difference):
# Intel Atom Z520 @ 1.33GHz, 533MHz FSB; 512K Cache
# Intel US15W chipset
V # 2GB of DDR2 Memory
V # 8.9 inch LCD (1280x768 resolution); LED backlight, Resistive Touch Panel
# Intel GMA 500 integrated graphics
V # 60gb HD
V # SDHC+SD+MS Mini Card reader
X # 10GB Eee Online Storage
X # 802.11b/g Wi-Fi
# Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
V # Included DVD burner
V # 0.3 megapixel front webcam + 1.3 mp back webcam + Digital Array Microphone
# VGA Output
# USB 2.0 x 2
# RJ-45 (Ethernet 10/100)
# Headphone / Mic Input Jacks
# Twin speakers
V # Synaptics trackpad
X # 2.5 Pounds (with battery installed)
X # 0.99 - 1.11 inches thick
V # 3 cell battery, 3 hr lifetime
X # 8.85" (W) x 6.45" (D) x 0.99 - 1.11" (H) --- don't remember, but it's a bit larger
V # Currently running Windows 7 RC
# Color Options: White, Black
# Protective Sleeve
KJS also had slower and smaller 7" convertibles.
Fujitsu also have a convertible 5.6" netbook with a 2ghz atom capable of running 720p movies flawlessly. (also a trackpoint for fans of those~ and the same amazing 1280x768 resolution).... some version include a 3G modem for ultimate portability.
Re:Does it ... by kzieli · 2009-07-15 11:22 · Score: 1

I believe the problem here is Intel GMA 500 Integrated Graphics. The driver only works with old kernels, add to this that we have an unusual screen resolution and we are done. For me that puts this one in the strict no go category.

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Re:Does it ... by nadavwr · 2009-07-15 12:03 · Score: 1

Actually, Nokia Internet Tablet (runs Linux) has a PowerVR chip, and guess what? no 3D acceleration. You do, however, get XWindows at 800x480 to work just fine, thank you.
Re:Does it ... by RiotingPacifist · 2009-07-15 14:36 · Score: 1

Wish there was a way to see it, touch it, and goof with it to verify the hardware and see how polished their software build is.
For me the hw is the main issue (and the lack of need for a netbook), as I'd probably throw out their software and switch to a distro with ARM support debain, ubuntu, chromeOS maybe even android depending on my mood/use

--
IranAir Flight 655 never forget!
Re:Does it ... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 16:13 · Score: 0

good to find inspiration laptop that we want to thank article
Re:Does it ... by anss123 · 2009-07-15 19:31 · Score: 1

Not only that, but the chipset uses 19 watts alone. Great, now you've got a 19 watt chipset behind an 4 watt (or 8 watt, I don't know if the Z520 is dual core or not) processor.
The Z520 is 2 watt CPU and use a low power chipset with the crappy GMA 500 (a rebranded SGX 535, which is the same chip you find in the iPhone 3GS! Makes a 1996 3DFX Voodoo 1 look like a speed demon).
I got one and it can't even run aero. Forget HD video. All around pathetic graphics and CPU performance (think Pentium III 1GHz with an old ATI Rage card). Like the battery life though.
Re:Does it ... by a_nonamiss · 2009-07-16 01:19 · Score: 1

This is incredible! For only $299, I can buy the promise of something that is supposed to work when they finally get around to building it. So much better than a product that's actually shipping. I sure hope it can run Duke Nukem Forever at a decent framerate.

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-Arthur
Cave ne ante ullas catapultas ambules

Does it run... by argent · 2009-07-15 03:58 · Score: 2, Insightful

Does it run GoogleOS?

Re:Does it run... by Howard+Beale · 2009-07-15 04:33 · Score: 1

Android - you insensitive clod!
Re:Does it run... by Drantin · 2009-07-15 04:42 · Score: 2, Informative

ChromeOS you insensitive clod

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Actio personalis moritur cum persona. (Dead men don't sue)
Re:Does it run... by $1uck · 2009-07-15 05:25 · Score: 1

When its been demonstrated to run one or the other, I'll think about picking this up. But as long as its only running windows, forget about it. Not that I hate windows, I just don't want windows on my netbook. Windows on my work laptop is fine, Windows on my gaming pc at home is again fine. Just not on my netbook.

How much? by hamburgler007 · 2009-07-15 04:01 · Score: 1

Article gives most of the specs but omits any mention of cost? Presumably it will be more expensive, but how much more expensive than their current line of netbooks?

Re:How much? by Shikaku · 2009-07-15 04:02 · Score: 1

$500
Last page.
Re:How much? by TaggartAleslayer · 2009-07-15 04:04 · Score: 3, Informative

Last page of the article states: "The T91 is less powerful, more cramped and has a less spectacular display than pretty much any other newly released netbook, yet it is priced at $499."
Re:How much? by hamburgler007 · 2009-07-15 06:24 · Score: 1

Thanks, didn't see any additional pages in the article.
Re:How much? by dokebi · 2009-07-15 13:16 · Score: 1

This is great news!
Now that we've been sensitized to these low, low prices, $250 difference seems like a lot. Still, it's much better than the $1000 price difference normal tablets have over regular laptops. Progress!

--
In Soviet Russia, articles before post read *you*!

Does it.. by popeyethesailor · 2009-07-15 04:04 · Score: 2, Interesting

make phone calls? :P

Re:Does it.. by Abreu · 2009-07-15 04:40 · Score: 1

skype?

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No sig for the moment.
Re:Does it.. by Shikaku · 2009-07-15 05:06 · Score: 1

https://www.gizmocall.com/gc/app?class=GizmoCall&proc=gcStart
If you are OK with the limitations, yes, for free.
Yes it runs on Linux (it's flash).

I'm still waiting... by damn_registrars · 2009-07-15 04:08 · Score: 3, Insightful

... for a netbook to ship with a trackpoint instead of a damned touchpad. When someone (are you listening, lenovo?) finally brings out an affordable netbook with a trackpoint, I'll bring out my checkbook. Until then I'll keep to my old thinkpad, thank you very much.

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Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.

Re:I'm still waiting... by PatrickThomson · 2009-07-15 04:14 · Score: 3, Insightful

I couldn't agree more. Using a trackpad is like trying to use a mouse with a broken arm swaddled in plaster. you're lucky if you can get the pointer 1/3 of the way across the screen without reseating your finger, and at higher sensitivities it's even more of a cumbersome pain to use.

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I am one of many. My idea is not unique, nor do I expect my voice alone to sway you. I speak in a chorus of opinion.
Re:I'm still waiting... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 04:42 · Score: 0

... for a netbook to ship with a trackpoint instead of a damned touchpad.
Vaio P Series. Beautiful and small. Unfortunately, it is terribly expensive.
Re:I'm still waiting... by bemymonkey · 2009-07-15 04:43 · Score: 1

Having used an EeePC 1000H for over 6 months, I have to disagree. The touchpad on that thing was AWESOME - way better than the Synaptics one on my Thinkpad's Ultranav. In fact, it actually rivals the Thinkpad's trackpoint for ease of use, accuracy and speed... IF you spend some time learning to use it (not to mention multi-touch tapping etc.).
If you were just willing to try something new, you might find that a halfway decent, properly set up trackpad isn't necessarily inferior to a trackpoint on any more than a subjective level... Don't get me wrong, trackpoints are awesome - but when done correctly, trackpads are decent too.
The only problem is that the 1000H's trackpad is the first one I've actually been satisfied with...
Re:I'm still waiting... by notthepainter · 2009-07-15 04:50 · Score: 1

You might want to try a Macintosh, they are speed sensitive. As I move my finger slowly it moves slowly, you can't even get more than a few hundred pixels. When I move fast, I can move across all 1900 pixels with room to spare. Mice work the same same way, I can barely use a Windows machine because of the mouse/trackpad. Apple really has sweated the details on this one.
Re:I'm still waiting... by damn_registrars · 2009-07-15 04:56 · Score: 1

Then it would appear you missed where I said "affordable netbook". The Vaio P is not affordable for most people (myself included).

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Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
Re:I'm still waiting... by Khyber · 2009-07-15 05:02 · Score: 1

A netbook with a trackpoint?
As if the damned keyboard wasn't small enough, now I'll have to deal with brushing up against a nipple in the center of my keyboard and having it accidentally click on shit while I'm trying to type on keys smaller than what my index finger can comfortably sweep across..
Seriously, what fucking moron decided to make the trackpoint function as a mouse button? This is why I burn off every trackpoint I find nestled in the center of any laptop keyboard.

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Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
Re:I'm still waiting... by Khyber · 2009-07-15 05:12 · Score: 1

Every touchpad and mouse is speed sensitive in windows - go to mouse options in the system setting and turn up the acceleration sensitivity. I haven't had to, the XP default works flawlessly with my synaptic touchpad with the generic windows drivers. (I hate the overhead the synaptic package adds)
That's been a standard thing since Windows 95 (don't rememebr if 3.1 had this feature.) Apple didn't sweat a damned detail, they followed suit.

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Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
Re:I'm still waiting... by Neil+Watson · 2009-07-15 05:13 · Score: 1

I dislike the touch pads too. My thumbs often brush them causing my cursor to move unexpectedly. In general I find the mouse/track/touch to be rather clumsy versus the keyboard. I've been able eliminate a lot of mouse work by configuring hot keys through the window manager (openbox and now compiz) as well as xbindkeys. For email I use Mutt and for web browsing I use the Vimperator Firefox plugin.

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UNIX/Linux Consulting
Re:I'm still waiting... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 05:15 · Score: 0

I got a new thinkpad x61 tablet for 700 Euro (~985 USD). Its fast, lightweight, got a trackpoint, works fine with linux and got a *replaceable battery!
Not a netbook but 12" is a good compromise for me.
Re:I'm still waiting... by PainKilleR-CE · 2009-07-15 05:19 · Score: 1

That's a checkbox option in the mouse settings on Windows. I turn it off if I'm ever using a machine where I find it turned on, because it's irritating that the same physical distance suddenly becomes a different virtual distance on the screen.

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-PainKilleR-[CE]
Re:I'm still waiting... by notthepainter · 2009-07-15 05:21 · Score: 1

Except that Macintosh had this in 1984, way before Windows 95 or 3.1 was released. Mac mice have always worked this way.
Re:I'm still waiting... by doti · 2009-07-15 05:31 · Score: 1

That, and digital video output (ex DVI).

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factor 966971: 966971
Re:I'm still waiting... by Zakabog · 2009-07-15 05:33 · Score: 1

Why? What's the advantage of a trackpoint over a touchpad?

I've found the little rubber nipples to be quite annoying, you don't have the same control over the speed and precision of it since you're just operating a joystick. With the touchpad, the cursor is going to move relative to the speed you're moving your finger. If you want to draw something it's quite a bit easier, just move your finger where you want the cursor to go. With the trackpoint there's no actual movement it's just applying pressure in one direction or another, there's not much in the way of feedback to let you know how fast the cursor is going to move.

Though it could just be that I'm much more used to a touchpad (which I doubt since my first laptop had only a trackpoint and it wasn't until many years later that I got a laptop with a touchpad.)
Re:I'm still waiting... by jmpvm · 2009-07-15 05:43 · Score: 1

I personally hate trackpads, but check out the Sony P-Series.
Re:I'm still waiting... by jmpvm · 2009-07-15 05:45 · Score: 1

*sigh* trackPOINTS. I personally hate trackpoints...
Re:I'm still waiting... by mdwh2 · 2009-07-15 10:05 · Score: 1

Yeah, and AmigaOS was multitasking about 15 years before Apple caught up. Your point? What do machines of 25 years ago have to do with capabilities of machines today?
Anyhow, the "Macintosh" that had this is a completely different platform to the OS X machines of today. So unless you were suggesting in your previous comment that people pick up a classic Mac[*], this point is irrelevant anyway. Similarly, the Windows of today is a different OS line to 95 and 3.1. So your comment is both about 25 year old machines, and completely different platforms. I might as well claim that someone should try Linux, because Spectrums were better than Commodore 64s.
[*] Even if you were, your comments such as "I can barely use a Windows machine because of the mouse/trackpad. Apple really has sweated the details on this one" make no sense. If you're going to suggest "You might want to try a Macintosh", my response is, "You might want to try a machine more recent than 25 years ago"...
Re:I'm still waiting... by jobin · 2009-07-15 13:40 · Score: 2, Interesting

I use macs only occasionally, and find this feature extremely annoying. It completely throws off my eye/hand coordination. I'm sure it's wonderful if you're used to it, but it makes it annoyingly difficult to put the cursor where I want it. If I want to move it just couple of inches to the left, I move the mouse slowly, and it only moves a few pixels. If I speed up, acceleration kicks in and the cursor is halfway across the screen when, according to my (linear, subconscious) estimate, it should be on target.
This would be fine if I could find the option to turn it off.
Re:I'm still waiting... by 4181 · 2009-07-15 14:04 · Score: 1

... for a netbook to ship with a trackpoint
Amen brother!
Have you ever heard of someone hardware-hacking their laptop to add a trackpoint to their keyboard.
Re:I'm still waiting... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 17:50 · Score: 0

Sony Vaio UX280
touch screen + track point, screen slides up to reveal qwerty keyboard

Weak screen mount? by Midnight+Thunder · 2009-07-15 04:09 · Score: 4, Interesting

Although the computer looks nice, I am a bit concerned as to the quality of the screen attachment. I have friend who has a computer with a similar configuration and after a year the screen would become wobbly, probably because of wear on the joint. Does anyone know whether Asus has taken care of this?

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Jumpstart the tartan drive.

Re:Weak screen mount? by Tx · 2009-07-15 04:17 · Score: 5, Funny

Although the computer looks nice, I am a bit concerned as to the quality of the screen attachment. I have friend who has a computer with a similar configuration and after a year the screen would become wobbly, probably because of wear on the joint. Does anyone know whether Asus has taken care of this?
As a time-traveller from July 2010, I can assure you that this newly-launched product which hardly anyone in 2009 has even touched, does not, in fact, get wobbly after a year of use.

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Oh no... it's the future.
Re:Weak screen mount? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 04:21 · Score: 0

I have friend who has a computer with a similar configuration and after a year the screen would become wobbly, probably because of wear on the joint. Does anyone know whether Asus has taken care of this?
I'm sure they have. Their plan is probably to sell you next year's model to replace the one you've worn out, once it goes out of warranty.
Re:Weak screen mount? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 04:30 · Score: 1, Informative

I've owned their R1F model laptop/tablet (fullsize) for about 2 and a half years now, same type of screen mount (just slightly larger to accomodate the bigger screen), and it's steady as ever.
Re:Weak screen mount? by Midnight+Thunder · 2009-07-15 04:35 · Score: 1

As a time-traveller from July 2010, I can assure you that this newly-launched product which hardly anyone in 2009 has even touched, does not, in fact, get wobbly after a year of use.
Is there anything else that you can tell us. Have we finally manage to bio engineer a pig to fly?
Actually I wasn't expecting anyone to have year's worth of experience with the portable, simply to know whether Asus had tried to use a better mount, or they are just using the same one used in other models.

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Jumpstart the tartan drive.
Re:Weak screen mount? by krygny · 2009-07-15 04:43 · Score: 1

As a time-traveller from July 2010, I can assure you that ... (blah blah blah ...)
WHO WON THE FUCKIN' SUPER BOWL, FER CHRISSAKE?!!

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Research shows that 67% of those who use the term "research shows", are just making shit up.
Re:Weak screen mount? by RiotingPacifist · 2009-07-15 04:53 · Score: 2, Insightful

Thats one of the things i love about this, the screen comes of entirely and i assume/hope that you can just flip it over entirely so there is no joint to break.

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IranAir Flight 655 never forget!
Re:Weak screen mount? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 05:10 · Score: 0

It glides as softly as a cloud.
Re:Weak screen mount? by IronChef · 2009-07-15 05:25 · Score: 1

I have some IBM 5100s if you're interested.
Re:Weak screen mount? by Xphile101361 · 2009-07-15 05:35 · Score: 1

The lions of course
Re:Weak screen mount? by vtcat · 2009-07-15 05:54 · Score: 1

The Panthers of course
There, fixed that for you.
Re:Weak screen mount? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 06:26 · Score: 0

please...they don't even have a decent website. Click a thumnail and you get...wait for it...a thumbnail (in a big grey empty box). When you actaully see one in the wild, and it works, then try to sell someone on it. otherwise, your just a cheerleader for vapor.....
Re:Weak screen mount? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 06:45 · Score: 0

We are only at the begining: we managed to combine a pig and an avian flu virus...
Re:Weak screen mount? by akincisor · 2009-07-15 06:47 · Score: 1

I'm sorry, I'm not really into pokemon.

Sweet timing... by Zocalo · 2009-07-15 04:09 · Score: 2

I'm having some back problems at the moment and tend to most comfortable in positions that don't suit either a desktop or full size laptop setup. I was just thinking last night how useful a subnote with a flippable screen would be for letting me do things like reviewing and marking up documents that don't really require a fast startup and processor but is beyond the capabilities of most (all?) eBook readers.

SOLD! When does it ship in the UK?

It is going to ship in the UK, isn't it?

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UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!

Re:Sweet timing... by IrquiM · 2009-07-15 05:25 · Score: 1

Yes it is... rumor has it that it's already in UK waiting to be put on display.
Question is - when does it ship to Norway! And I want the T101 instead...

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This is blinging
Re:Sweet timing... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 10:12 · Score: 0

I thought the Gigabyte T1028 was being sold in the UK already. Or so they said

Touchscreen? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 04:10 · Score: 0, Troll

Oh wait... its a resistive (ie worthless) touchscreen.

Re:Touchscreen? by bemymonkey · 2009-07-15 04:45 · Score: 1

Why on Earth would you think a resistive touchscreen is useless? Did you go to a school that exclusively used finger paints and A2 pages of paper for writing?
I don't understand what the big deal about capacitive touch is - as far as I'm concerned it's useless for everything that's not web browsing or multi-touch gestures...
Re:Touchscreen? by Khyber · 2009-07-15 05:13 · Score: 0

Resistive touchscreens fucking suck for pressure-sensing.

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Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
Re:Touchscreen? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 05:40 · Score: 0

I'd rather see a full-on Wacom tablet underneath the screen. Both aforementioned technologies are quite worthless compared to a good wacom.
Re:Touchscreen? by Ant+P. · 2009-07-15 06:30 · Score: 1

Why would you need pointing devices with a Z axis on a computer designed to only run XP Home?
Re:Touchscreen? by bemymonkey · 2009-07-15 08:01 · Score: 1

Hmmm, what do you need pressure sensing for on a netvetible? Isn't the whole point of this thing being able to take notes in meetings/lectures? It's not like artists are gonna be buying them for highly detailed shadings etc...
Re:Touchscreen? by Gothmolly · 2009-07-15 08:28 · Score: 1

Real men use an inductive touch screen. L FTW!

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I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
Re:Touchscreen? by BobMcD · 2009-07-15 08:39 · Score: 1

I'd rather see a full-on Wacom tablet underneath the screen. Both aforementioned technologies are quite worthless compared to a good wacom.
Do you suppose that would impact the price?

Non-removable battery?! by Diabolus+Advocatus · 2009-07-15 04:10 · Score: 4, Informative

Non-removable battery? What if I'm traveling for hours and my battery runs out? Oh I'll just pop in my spare! Or not...

Re:Non-removable battery?! by Too+Many+Secrets · 2009-07-15 06:19 · Score: 0

Could you recommend one that's actually available to purchase now?
Re:Non-removable battery?! by BobMcD · 2009-07-15 08:50 · Score: 1

Oh great, ANOTHER iPhone story. Wait, what?
Re:Non-removable battery?! by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-16 02:18 · Score: 0

Network World or Infoworld had an article discussing the non-removable battery in the new MacBookPro. It sort of convinced me that it was a win.
One point mentioned is that you can buy an external battery. It connects to the magsafe power in, and comes in various sizes of 12 to 24 hours capacity. It also worked with some other brands I think. The price didn't seem to be all that much more than an extra battery from Apple. You could also run/charge USB powered devices from it.

Yes, but... by mcgrew · 2009-07-15 04:11 · Score: 0, Redundant

What does it cost? TFA doesn't say. If this thing is three or four hundred bucks I'd love to get one, but if it's damned expensive then no way.

Some of us actually have to WORK for our money, and we have limited supplies of it. I wish these overpaid pundits could understand that. WHAT DOES THE DAMNED THING COST???

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Free Martian Whores!

Re:Yes, but... by Tom9729 · 2009-07-15 05:58 · Score: 1

Read the last page. 500$.
Re:Yes, but... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 06:49 · Score: 0

some of us actually READ the fucking article, so we know how much it costs. i wish you could do that, instead of wasting time moaning about irrelevant bullshit or writing retarded crap about how you fuck hookers and wish you could suck on rms and linus's ballsack and how you are in general a miserable sack of shit. maybe then you'd have saved us from another worthless mcgrew post.
Re:Yes, but... by mcgrew · 2009-07-15 07:42 · Score: 1

I did read it, saw nothing about the price.
BTW, stop stalking me, dickweed. If you don't like my journals don't read them. If my comments are so "worthless" why are most of them modded up? Why do I have excellent Karma? If you don't want to see my comments just foe me and mark the applicable checkbox on the preferance page, you sorry little jealous twat.
Now go tell your mom to come see me, I'm sure she needs the twenty bucks.

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Free Martian Whores!

None of this is new. by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 04:13 · Score: 2, Informative

I've had a touch-screen tablet netbook for years. It's a Fujitsu P1510D (there was an article on Slashdot a little while back about alternative operating systems that mentioned it specifically). It's got a touchscreen, half a gig of memory, 30 gigs of hard drive space, a biometric sensor, et cetera. Oh, and in lieu of a touchpad it has a trackpoint. :)

Re:None of this is new. by damn_registrars · 2009-07-15 04:29 · Score: 1

a Fujitsu P1510D (there was an article on Slashdot a little while back about alternative operating systems that mentioned it specifically). It's got a touchscreen, half a gig of memory, 30 gigs of hard drive space, a biometric sensor, et cetera. Oh, and in lieu of a touchpad it has a trackpoint
Your Fujitsu still sells for over $1,000. I could easily buy a thinkpad in the same price range that will do what I want. I want a netbook that is affordable with a trackpoint.

So indeed, I am asking for something new.

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Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.

the T91 takes a completely different approach.... by MattGWU · 2009-07-15 04:15 · Score: 2, Insightful

Does it? Does the T91 take a completely different approach to computing? Really? What is this marketing fluff?

It's a touchscreen. We've seen that. It spins around. We've seen that (GRiD 2260 anybody? Ruggedized convertable laptop from 1992. Incidentally, only eBay auction I ever got screwed on, but it was resolved) It's small. Damn sure we've seen that. Were touchscreen laptops ever that big of a deal? They were The Next Big Thing a few years ago but never got the impression people liked them that much.

Maybe I'm not 100% clear on what 'a completely different approach to compting' looks like (why I'm here, doing what I'm doing, and not out buying my new car for the day), but I'm pretty sure the T91 isn't it.

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"These people look deep within my soul and assign me a number based on the order in which I joined" --Homer re:

Re:the T91 takes a completely different approach.. by geeper · 2009-07-15 04:15 · Score: 0, Informative

$500

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Error reading device 'Signature'. (A)bort, (R)etry, (F)ail?

I hate corp-speak. by InfinityWpi · 2009-07-15 04:16 · Score: 1

Can we never, ever see the phrase 'new usage model' on Slashdot again? How about "New way to use it"?

Finally a tablet at a reasonable price. by phorest · 2009-07-15 04:17 · Score: 3, Informative

I recently was gifted a Dell Inspiron Mini 10. I have no complaints (for what it is). It runs fine and what I really like about it is the HDMI output lets me easily hook it up to my plasma and watch movies with netflix. If this was available a month ago I would've seriously considered it, even though it has VGA out. Put an HDMI connector in it and I'd be in heaven.

I have always wondered why they charge such a premium for tablets, just like I still wonder today why I can't buy a large non-widescreen format LCD monitor for < an arm and a leg...

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God: When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all.

Re:Finally a tablet at a reasonable price. by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 05:22 · Score: 0

and why's it so hard to find a decent non-widescreen laptop these days too? What's with this "shortscreen" fad?
Re:Finally a tablet at a reasonable price. by jabelli · 2009-07-15 05:23 · Score: 1

Well, there's some markup because they sell fewer of them, but it's not like adding touch sensing to the screen is free.
Re:Finally a tablet at a reasonable price. by PainKilleR-CE · 2009-07-15 05:34 · Score: 1

The premium, in both cases, is for a part that isn't in common use and/or demand. Touch-screens aren't made in massive numbers over the size of an iPhone, and LCD screens aren't made in 4;3 ratios in massive numbers because most of the LCD screens are made for HDTVs (even at small sizes).

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-PainKilleR-[CE]

Uh this has been around for years.. by carn1fex · 2009-07-15 04:17 · Score: 1

Why is this news? Flip screen tablets have been around for about 5 years.. my Toshiba M209 from 2004 for example.. Is it relevant because they shrunk the overall thing and now its a "netbook" ?

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No matter how thin you slice it, its still baloney.

Re:Uh this has been around for years.. by MattGWU · 2009-07-15 04:43 · Score: 3, Interesting

Ha! You think these things were invented THIS century? You're going to go back a bit further than that.

"In 1992, GRiD released another tablet PC called the GRiD 2260 Convertible. This version now had better software/application support in the form of the Windows for Pen Computing operating system. It used a 386 processor in its base model or a 486 processor in its pricier configuration. The GRiD 2260 also had an attached keyboard that swung on hinges and could be clipped around back. "
(emphasis mine) That's just their first convertable. Their first tablet was the Gridpad 1900 in 1989. http://everything2.com/title/GRiD%2520Computer%2520Systems

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"These people look deep within my soul and assign me a number based on the order in which I joined" --Homer re:
Re:Uh this has been around for years.. by cbhacking · 2009-07-15 11:01 · Score: 1

... WOW! Cool stuff.
I had no idea at all that there was a dedicated tablet that far back, never mind that there was OS supprt for it. That's back in the era when computers didn't even neccessarily have *mice* and Windows was almost entirely 16-bit.

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There's no place I could be, since I've found Serenity...
Re:Uh this has been around for years.. by mdwh2 · 2009-07-15 11:12 · Score: 1

To be fair, the summary doesn't say it's first. It's news because it's a new product by a major company. Given we get a story everytime there's a mere rumour about an Apple product, I think actual new products should qualify as news.

Netvertible? by CopaceticOpus · 2009-07-15 04:23 · Score: 5, Funny

Let's call the Windows based version a winnetvertible, and the Ubuntu version a netvertibuntu. If they add the ability for the Ubuntu version to make calls, it's a netphonevertibuntu. The aquatic version which comes with tools to help you catch fish and move boats will be a fishnetphonevertibuntugboat.

Or, we could stop making up stupid names for shit.

Re:Netvertible? by tirerim · 2009-07-15 07:42 · Score: 1

Hey, it could be worse: you could be speaking German.

Re:the T91 takes a completely different approach.. by Bill,+Shooter+of+Bul · 2009-07-15 04:26 · Score: 1

The reason why I never got a convertible touchscreen laptop was they were at least twice as expensive as a normal laptop with similar specs. Close to $2500 to start, with a weak celeron cpu & little ram. If you make it closer in price,you'll find it will become more popular. Its basically like the Google phone in a bigger form factor.

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Well.. maybe. Or Maybe not. But Definitely not sort of.

Kindle killer by gestalt_n_pepper · 2009-07-15 04:26 · Score: 1

Add a little decrease in cost and a touch screen and the kindle dies a well deserved death. No loss.

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Please do not read this sig. Thank you.

Re:Kindle killer by Ironica · 2009-07-15 05:21 · Score: 1

You forgot adding a 200-dpi eInk screen. As shiny as this thing is, I doubt I'll be reading a book at 10-point type in broad daylight on it.

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Don't you wish your girlfriend was a geek like me?
Re:Kindle killer by gestalt_n_pepper · 2009-07-15 05:58 · Score: 1

It's a price/performance issue. I read stuff on my current laptop with no problem. I can either buy a kindle because it's a little easier to read and has some extra battery life, or a tablet which is a full blown computer which is good enough for reading and comparably priced. Which would you choose?
.
Kindle's major engineering problem is the extra zero on the price tag. It's a one trick pony. Not worth it.

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Please do not read this sig. Thank you.
Re:Kindle killer by pebs · 2009-07-15 06:18 · Score: 1

You can't kill the Kindle without electronic paper.
I also do all my reading on my laptop (and sometimes my iPhone), but I'm generally only reading programming books in which case its nice to be able to try things out as I go along. I've read non-programming books on a laptop, and while it was ok, if I was reading a lot of non-programming books I would much rather do it on something like a Kindle (I don't think I ever want to go back to paper books, though). There are even some programming books which I would've read on a Kindle (instead of my laptop) if I had one. But I read so few books of any kind that I can't justify the expense at its current price.
It's really the people who read tons of books who are going to buy products like the Kindle (at its current prices). They are the kind of people who would otherwise be reading dead tree and they don't want to read books on a computer screen.

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#!/
Re:Kindle killer by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 08:16 · Score: 0

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_paper
People comparing laptops/netbooks/phones to e-book readers have no clue what they're talking about.

Nice try but I'll wait by Taibhsear · 2009-07-15 04:28 · Score: 1

My eee pc 1000 has the perfect size keyboard for me, although the right shift button could have had better placement. So 8.9" is going to be a little too small for me. The non-removable battery is also a deal killer. My issue with my netbook is the network card isn't supported by some of the software, uh, 'tools' I use, the battery life is almost half what they say it is, and the performance could be a tiny bit faster (only issue that really bugs me is not being able to watch 720p on it). What I ultimately want is a 10" netbook with a touch screen, linux (preferably ubuntu), removable battery that actually lasts longer than 5 hours, enough performance to watch 720p, solid state drives (for durability), fast wifi with long range and support for the software I use, and bluetooth, for $500 or less. I don't understand why they make tablets with keyboards on them. My gf has a phone that is touchscreen and just has a plastic flip cover that the touchscreen can still recognize touch commands through. Why they don't make the whole computer with the touchscreen on top and just a clear flip cover on it instead of the keyboard and trackpad is beyond me. Just have a virtual keyboard pop up when you tap a keyboard button on the desktop or on the spot to enter text like my Archos media player does. If they put all this together and engineered it well I'd scoop it up in a heartbeat.

Re:Nice try but I'll wait by Howard+Beale · 2009-07-15 04:40 · Score: 1

Same here, but from a different angle. I love my HP TC4200 tablet. It's faster than the Atom processors, the screen is perfect - non-glossy 12.1" 1024x768 pressure sensitive. 2 GB Ram, 250 MB HD (upgraded), 3 USB ports, SD card, PCMCIA (!), 56k modem, Gb ethernet and bluetooth. The battery is still good for 3+ hours on a full charge and it's built like a tank. I've looked at replacing it, but keep coming back to it as it has everything I need except for VT. I'll just live without that.
Re:Nice try but I'll wait by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 04:51 · Score: 0

Actually, I have the eeepc 1000 too, running pre-installed Xandros... I recently used it on a trip across the atlantic, and it worked without complaints for about 7 1/2 hours, working mostly in Writer with my MP3 collection on shuffle in the background, and occassional forays into OpenTTD...
I think the WiFi is the real battery drainer, as I had the antenna turned off (Airplane, ya know)... I ended the flight with about 10% battery power remaining.
As for the interface... The keyboard is definitely terrific compared to others I've used, but having to use Fn+Arrow for Home/End/PgUp/PgDn can make things difficult sometimes... I suppose there isn't really a way around that.
Re:Nice try but I'll wait by Nemyst · 2009-07-15 05:07 · Score: 1

Try Googling the T101H then...
Re:Nice try but I'll wait by Khyber · 2009-07-15 05:18 · Score: 1

The HP TC42/4400 should come with virtualization technology. Actually, look in your BIOS to see if it's there (it's usually a BIOS setting in the consumer-line of HP laptops.)
Maybe I've got it mixed up with the nx9420

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Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
Re:Nice try but I'll wait by Comboman · 2009-07-15 06:01 · Score: 1

I don't understand why they make tablets with keyboards on them. ... Why they don't make the whole computer with the touchscreen on top and just a clear flip cover on it instead of the keyboard and trackpad is beyond me.
Most people will want a separate keyboard at least some of time. What's so bad about having a keyboard built into the 'flip cover' of your touchscreen? What I want is dual touchscreens (a la Nintendo DS) so one can be a reconfigurable keyboard/input device.

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Re:Nice try but I'll wait by Howard+Beale · 2009-07-15 07:54 · Score: 1

The HP TC42/4400 should come with virtualization technology. Actually, look in your BIOS to see if it's there (it's usually a BIOS setting in the consumer-line of HP laptops.)
Maybe I've got it mixed up with the nx9420
The TC4200 is Pentium M, no VT.
Re:Nice try but I'll wait by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 11:35 · Score: 0

Please look at the bigger picture - This is only one model from one manufacturer.
If all the other netbook manufacturers are forced to jump on board, touchscreens could well become a standard feature. So don't panic if this particular model doesn't float your boat.
Re:Nice try but I'll wait by Khyber · 2009-07-19 04:14 · Score: 1

From Intel's website:
The improved PentiumÂ® M processor-based cores
The core of the IntelÂ® Coreâ Duo processor-based technology is an enhanced PentiumÂ® M processor 755/7451 core converted to 65nm process technology. The main focus of the core enhancements was to do the following:
* Support virtualization (Virtualization Technology2) [3].
* Support the new Streaming SIMD Extension (SSE3) [4].
* Address performance inefficiencies mainly in the handling of SSE/SSE2, FP (x87) and some long latency integer instructions.
You likely have Virtualization in the newer TC4200 (It'll likely be the TC4400.) Check your BIOS.

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Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.

Always Innovating by scalpod · 2009-07-15 04:29 · Score: 0

http://www.alwaysinnovating.com/touchbook/ 9.4" x 7" x 1.4" for 2 lbs (with keyboard) ARM Texas Instruments OMAP3 chip 1024x600 8.9'' screen Storage: 8GB SD card Wifi 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 3-dimensional accelerometer Speakers, micro and headphone 6 USB 2.0 (3 internal, 3 external) 10+ hours of battery life

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If "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" and "it was beauty that killed the beast" then "please stop staring at me".

this was done in 1994 by TheGratefulNet · 2009-07-15 04:42 · Score: 1

around the time that the NEC versa laptops came out. the period was 486 dx2/66 era ;)

their version had a TFT display that could pivot around and fold on top of the keyboard, over it, with the screen up.

this is hardly new.

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"It is now safe to switch off your computer."

Re:this was done in 1994 by mad_minstrel · 2009-07-15 05:45 · Score: 1

It is new in the sense that there are no such devices on the market today that are affordable (excepting second hand and outdated hardware).

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May the source be with you.

ARM? by dandart · 2009-07-15 04:42 · Score: 1

This will certainly run Linux... ...but when will they make an ARM version? I want 15 hours dammit!

Gigabyte M912 by YourExperiment · 2009-07-15 04:45 · Score: 1

Gigabyte did this a year ago, with their M912. It looked like a stunning little machine, but sadly they priced it at more than double the price of the average netbook, and nowhere seemed to get any in stock.

I'm not sure why they've included a trackpad either. Those things are horrendous to use at the best of times, now there's a touch screen there to replace it. The space could be used to include a decent sized keyboard instead.

Re:Gigabyte M912 by bruciferofbrm · 2009-07-15 08:00 · Score: 1

I have one of these. You have to import it. (try Dynamism).
Many makers not normally seen in the United States (outside of the specialist crowd) have already done this. The small format convertible tablet PC has been around for a while.
Gigabyte did a pretty good job and the hinge point (much like on my Toshiba R15) is the biggest concern. So far it is rock solid and if you ever get to see a tear down screen shot, you would see a fairly solid design.
The price point sucked. You were trading money for the touch screen and pivot. Otherwise, for the most part is very much like a 9 inch EEE.
The other down side is a poor power management design. This thing eats its battery pretty quickly, even when turned off. (Don't get me started).
I bought mine just after ASUS showed off both the 9inch tablet PC and 10inch units at the comdex show. I knew they wouldn't be shipping for a long time and had no idea if the price would be as bad.
Tablets are a special market space - they definitely are not for heavy duty gamers, and are bigger and heavier then kindles, so they make poor basic duty ebook readers. But they are head and shoulders over Kindle due to their high res color displays (at the price of power) and their excellent general purpose abilities. (Go ahead, try and run Windows and Linux and OSX on a kindle).
Every time I see the price of a kindle or other ebook reader, I look at my $1500 Toshiba, or my $700 M912 and realize I have the better of the deal. This unit from ASUS could very easily define a whole new market space the same way the original EEE did.
Re:Gigabyte M912 by YourExperiment · 2009-07-15 08:30 · Score: 1

I have one of these. You have to import it. (try Dynamism).
Actually I'm in the UK, but even over here it was incredibly hard to track one down. I found one company that listed it, but it never seemed to be in stock. Besides, I'm used to shopping around for the best price - when only one company stocks an item it makes me nervous. :)

The other down side is a poor power management design.
Yeah, I did read that too - it's the other thing that put me off tracking one down. I went for an Acer Aspire One as my general purpose netbook in the end, but I still crave a touch screen machine.

Tablets are a special market space
Tell me about it - my particular need for one stems from a desire to use it for triggering samples while playing live electronic music. I guess that's a pretty niche requirement!
Anyhow, it's nice to know you're happy with your M912 - I guess I'll see how this new Asus machine pans out, and decide between the two.
Re:Gigabyte M912 by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-16 01:44 · Score: 0

i bought one. first the M912 was released with a higher res screen, but with the wrong backlight which caused a rather big drain on the battery. after a while they released another version with lower resolution but with correctly implemented backlighting.
very handy little netbook. good CPU, fast disk, upgraded memory.
sadly, i never got to use it much. i bought it because i was commuting by train a lot, but after i received it i started commuting by motorcycle. still have it and it still works fine, but i probably used it less than 100 hours.
there is only one gripe i have with the Gigabyte, and that's the swivel being somewhat loose. i'm not 100% sure it is sturdy enough to survive rough use. other than that? it was a damn fine netbook. i never understood why others never copied it and why no big ad campaign was used to sell it. it would've sold a fuckton more, but didn't because it never had exposure... when Asus released the big news last year that they were "thinking of touchscreen netbooks", Gigabyte was already there and no one seemed to notice!
what a bloody waste...

It's the price. by maillemaker · 2009-07-15 04:46 · Score: 4, Insightful

>Is it relevant because they shrunk the overall thing and now its a "netbook" ?

No, it's relevant because it's $500 instead of, say, a $2000 Fujitsu Lifebook.

--
A work that expires before its copyright never enters the public domain and thus enjoys eternal copyright protection.

Re:It's the price. by RiotingPacifist · 2009-07-15 05:03 · Score: 1

But this is already out (well beta-testing/first shipment) costs $400 ($300 without the keyboard)

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IranAir Flight 655 never forget!
Re:It's the price. by megrims · 2009-07-15 14:04 · Score: 1

What is your affiliation with that company?
Re:It's the price. by MojoStan · 2009-07-15 14:12 · Score: 1

>Is it relevant because they shrunk the overall thing and now its a "netbook" ?
No, it's relevant because it's $500 instead of, say, a $2000 Fujitsu Lifebook.
I don't think it's relevant enough for the front page, since Gigabyte released their first "touch-screen tablet netbook" a year ago.
Gigabyte has since released an updated 10.1" model, so potential buyers should know that ASUS isn't the only curent player in this netbook sub-category.

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TO START PRESS ANY KEY
Where's the 'ANY' key? I see Esk, Kitarl, and Pig-Up...
Re:It's the price. by RiotingPacifist · 2009-07-15 16:01 · Score: 1

None, just a big fan and don't want to see another open hardware + open software + arm project go by the wayside because nobody knew about it.

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IranAir Flight 655 never forget!
Re:It's the price. by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-16 01:43 · Score: 0

None, just a big fan and don't want to see another open hardware + open software + arm project go by the wayside because nobody knew about it.
You have been astroturfing (both in AC posts and non-AC) this thread very much.
How can you be a "big fan" if the thing is pure vaporware, the page say they are "expecting" the first units to go out in July (hello, it is mid july and there's nothing), also the number of reviews are incredible (e.g. 0). And to add insult, just look at the "real" pictures in the gallery, they are more renders than a toy story movie.
Re:It's the price. by RiotingPacifist · 2009-07-16 04:15 · Score: 1

I posted once AC and that was more because i didn't want the post to have a high rating that to be anon as it was a direct reply to somebody.

Astroturfing is a word in English describing formal political, advertising, or public relations campaigns seeking to create the impression of being spontaneous "grassroots" behavior, hence the reference to the artificial grass, AstroTurf.
I've never given the impression of being anything other than a fan, and as im not associated with the company in any way (other than being a fan), i live on a different continent, i hardly count as astroturfing. Is everybody that post positive comments about something they like, a shill "astroturfing"? Look what happens whenever people mention pandora or do you think openpandora are paying people to sit around and promote their product on slashdot whenever its mentioned?

How can you be a "big fan"
:
It's a touchscreen & tablet device
It's running on open hardware (the change from entirely open specifications to ones they only mail to you if you work in OSS is worrying)
It's running on a much more suitable chipset than x86 for portable devices
It's running linux
The screen is detachable
I'm sorry if your experiences have left you bitter and jaded by products in the past, but if somebody is putting out a good product that I would like to see succeed, I still get excited.

And to add insult, just look at the "real" pictures in the gallery, they are more renders than a toy story movie.
Let me guess you can tell by the pixels? I'm no expert so i can't say either way but i doubt your such a pro either.

the page say they are "expecting" the first units to go out in July (hello, it is mid july and there's nothing),
Again neither of us pre-ordered and so can't really be sure but this suggests that the product isn't just vapourware.

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IranAir Flight 655 never forget!

Re:the T91 takes a completely different approach.. by bemymonkey · 2009-07-15 04:49 · Score: 1

I dunno, $500 seems pretty steep for a machine that's slower than most N270/280 netbooks and has less battery life even though it's got a non-removable battery. Wake me when they get 8 hours of (wi-fi browsing, note-taking, word-document-editing, divx/xvid playing) battery life...

Another fine article on the T91... by cvtan · 2009-07-15 04:49 · Score: 1

Other than Dynamism.com this computer is curiously devoid of any place you can actually buy it. And what happened to the optional built in GPS and HDTV tuner???

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Sorry, but gray text on gray background is making my eyes bleed.

Re:portable and power efficient by macraig · 2009-07-15 04:52 · Score: 1

Portable and power efficient? You mean like a Dell Axim X51v or HP iPAQ hx4700? Hey, I'm just extending your own argument....

Nothing really new here... by Aryeh+Goretsky · 2009-07-15 04:59 · Score: 1

Hello,

Both Fujitsu and Kohjinsha have been offering small (<9" screen) tablet PCs for a number of years, so I'm not sure exactly why this is considered newsworthy. Asus' contribution here seems to be in reducing the price and shipping them into the consumer channel. While it is nice to have inexpensive hardware, I would hardly qualify that as revolutionary, let alone evolutionary.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

--
Dexter is a good dog.

I've been looking for a project like this by otakuj462 · 2009-07-15 04:59 · Score: 1

I'm very interested in this kind of a product. As a student, and do copious note-taking. Rather than print all my notes and be gouged by the ink companies, I prefer to use software like Foxit (which runs great under Wine) to annotate my PDFs. A tiny little computer with a resistive touchscreen like this one would be just great. Now if only I could get it without Windows. In many ways, it's a lot like the 2gopc, which I thought would be the ideal product for me, except for the fact that they haven't rolled out Linux support like they were planning. Also, I'm not sure where I'll find the machine in Canada. I find that's one thing I don't like about Asus as opposed to Dell, I have no idea how to buy their machines.

YOU ARE WELCOME by osjedi · 2009-07-15 05:02 · Score: 5, Funny

Hi everybody. Just wanted to stop by and say you are welcome. My now obsolete Eee non-touchscreen netbook was delivered yesterday. My decision to finally purchase thus ushered in this new generation of netbook (2 days later) for you all to enjoy. I'm getting tired of waiting for Android phones too so I better go buy a G1 so that 3 new Android phones will be released the next day. Otherwise we'll just have to keep waiting indefinitely.

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-=-=-=-=- osjedi uses Debian GNU/Linux. -=-=-=-=-

Re:YOU ARE WELCOME by NiteShaed · 2009-07-15 07:09 · Score: 1

So if you were to return your EEE, does that mean they'd have to recall all of these new touchscreen ones to continue their systematic campaign of mental torture against you? 'Cause that's got some serious potential for entertainment value.....

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Some bring out the best in others, some the worst. Some bring out far more.
Re:YOU ARE WELCOME by Tetsujin · 2009-07-15 08:45 · Score: 1

Hi everybody. Just wanted to stop by and say you are welcome. My now obsolete Eee non-touchscreen netbook was delivered yesterday. My decision to finally purchase thus ushered in this new generation of netbook (2 days later) for you all to enjoy. I'm getting tired of waiting for Android phones too so I better go buy a G1 so that 3 new Android phones will be released the next day. Otherwise we'll just have to keep waiting indefinitely.
You could have paid attention to the future product announcements... I knew the T91 was on its way when I bought my 901 in March... The reason that didn't stop me from buying the 901 is 'cause I knew the T91 would be horribly overpriced for the first six to eight months of its sale... I wanted to buy a good netbook for cheap, so I chose one of the models near the end of its sales run.

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Bow-ties are cool.

Intel Classmate by lee+n.+field · 2009-07-15 05:43 · Score: 1

The most recent Intel Classmate does the same thing.

http://www.classmatepc.com/

See also Equus Computers, a clone vendor we deal with.

Re:Intel Classmate by BobMcD · 2009-07-15 09:14 · Score: 1

Can't see the price...
Re:Intel Classmate by lee+n.+field · 2009-07-16 03:58 · Score: 1

Because you're supposed to go to a reseller for these.
On account of being for the education market, aimed at grade school kids, they are somewhat ruggedized. Drop safe to about .5 meter, IRRC. The keyboard is uncomfortably small for adults. And probably more expensive than you'd want to spend. Nobi convertible, no OS, 1 yr warranty, would run ~US$485.
Re:Intel Classmate by BobMcD · 2009-07-16 04:23 · Score: 1

That's kinda what I figured. The Asus model would be around the same money with an OS and would (probably) be available retail and/or via newegg.

I would buy .. by The+MESMERIC · 2009-07-15 05:45 · Score: 1

If it came with Linux pre-installed.

I am not bluffing. I did purchase a previous eeePC but wanted something better now - to take with me when I travel

I don't want to do all the installing Linux afterwards myself, really, enough of "hacking".

eeePC like any other pre-Linux venture (ie OLPC) just couldn't resist selling out their souls.

Sure I represent a minority, but in a v fickle market - it is the minority that tend to be v loyal.

The netbook fad lost my interesting - it's pretty boring now.

Pivot by copponex · 2009-07-15 05:52 · Score: 1

I still wonder today why I can't buy a large non-widescreen format LCD monitor for < an arm and a leg...

Get a widescreen that pivots. 1200x1920 is spectacular for spreadsheets, reading, and code, and you can get used ones for less than $200.

Re:Pivot by phorest · 2009-07-15 06:32 · Score: 1

Sorry, I've tried that, I have screen rotate support. I use pdf's on one screen, data/email/filesys in the other... yes that works with letter/portrait but I also get legal/landscape pdf's. Needless to say, 16:9 works for legal/landscape but sucks for letter/portrait. 4:3 works for both marvelously. Also too you get crappy viewing angles when in portrait mode
Widescreen is a current darling, maybe so. 4:3 works for business and there is the reason they are so much more expensive. Productivity often suffers on those 16:9's and the makers know it. They probably count on getting 400.00 for a 4:3 that subsidizes the 149.00 16:9. Just let me buy Samsung 204B's at the 250 price point and I'll buy 5 of 'em.

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God: When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all.
Re:Pivot by copponex · 2009-07-15 08:40 · Score: 1

Wait... how does productivity suffer when you get more screen real estate for less money? What studies have you read that show a loss in productivity due to aspect ratio?
Sorry to nitpick, but it just seems that you prefer 4:3 for aesthetics or familiarity. Which is fine, but no cause for claiming inefficiency or subsidization of 16:10/9 sales.
Re:Pivot by phorest · 2009-07-15 10:06 · Score: 1

Oh, it's cheaper, but if you are always zooming in and out, resizing the working window. Yes productivity will suffer. Read the post again and I make it clear that 4:3 works with landscape & portrait about the same. Sorry, I don't have any study other than personal experience with BOTH formats. Yes, I can claim that 4:3 subsidizes 16:9's because the price per pixel is way out of line.
1.90 cents vs. 1.03 cents is almost double in my book.

--
God: When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all.

Re:portable and power efficient by Freetardo+Jones · 2009-07-15 05:56 · Score: 1

Yes, if you wanted something more portable or power efficient, yes, you would go for maybe one of those.

upgrade or switch... by Destoo · 2009-07-15 06:20 · Score: 1

Should I just upgrade my 900 with a touch screen with internal usb hub, or dump it and get this new model.. Decisions decisions...

I'm tttotally used\tothe keyboard now.I dooooon't make too many mnistakes anymorerd.
The keys are the same size than a regular keyboard, but there is absolutely no space between keys. This is what's messing me up.

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Nouvelles de jeux et technologies en français. TC

It is better with Windows (no, seriously!) by Ilgaz · 2009-07-15 06:25 · Score: 1

I wouldn`t rely on Asus for any kind of Linux support. If you want to run Linux, stay away from Asus and especially netbooks of them.

Why? They have a site to explain why, they openly say their products run best under Windows.

Here is the news story http://www.osnews.com/story/21589/Asus_Microsoft_Launch_Anti-Linux_Netbook_Campaign

Here is the site: http://www.itsbetterwithwindows.com/

You would wish it was a joke but it isn`t. Perhaps Asus better go back to their mainboard and Apple manufacturing business.

Flybook by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 06:33 · Score: 0

so it's just like Flybook

Re:portable and power efficient by macraig · 2009-07-15 07:00 · Score: 1

And anyone who thinks ARM Pocket PC systems are useless is just not well informed. At least when they have four-inch or larger displays like the two I mentioned, they are very useful, especially due to the fact that they literally fit in a pocket. I have so much software installed on my old hx4700 that I had to ditch the standard Windows Mobile menu and replace it with a pull-down hierarchical menu system, so that I could organize and find apps quickly (as opposed to scrolling through an endless unstructured list of meaningless icons). Quite a lot of it was free/OSS, too.

Re:the T91 takes a completely different approach.. by greenbird · 2009-07-15 07:09 · Score: 1

Does it? Does the T91 take a completely different approach to computing? Really? What is this marketing fluff?

No. It probable means they patented it. The lawsuits start in 3...2...

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Who is John Galt?

Finally! by sootman · 2009-07-15 07:49 · Score: 1

I've been waiting for this to change from 'vapor' to 'solid' ever since I read about it in CES coverage in January, when it was supposed to ship 'in a month or two'. At the time, sites were saying it'd be available with a TV tuner and GPS. I see the tuner mentioned on Asus' (ridiculously crappy) site but not the GPS. Anyone know about that?

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Re:portable and power efficient by Freetardo+Jones · 2009-07-15 08:06 · Score: 1

Are you replying to me or to someone else? I was agreeing that if you wanted something smaller and more power efficient that, yes, there are also other options.

Re:portable and power efficient by macraig · 2009-07-15 09:03 · Score: 1

Nah, not to you, just in general to all those Pocket PC/Windows CE/Mobile/ARM naysayers (take your pick) out there. :-)

Printable (aka everything on one page) Version by Shoone · 2009-07-15 09:11 · Score: 0

http://hothardware.com/printarticle.aspx?articleid=1348

Is it really a new product? by chrisarn · 2009-07-15 09:22 · Score: 1

Is this really a new product? On the 7'th of July i saw it in a local computer store here in the Czech republic. And i even took a leaflet about it with me home. If it's new, it's quite impressing that things get launched here before the rest of the world...

Multi-touc? by johncandale · 2009-07-15 10:25 · Score: 1

At the last trade show demos just over a month ago the T91 had a Multi-touch screen(!), and everyone who like "cool!!" but it was rumored the ones released July 15 won't be multi touch?? That only the ones that ship with Win 7 in a few months would have the better screen. TFA doesn't say anything about this either way, anyone know if there is a better screen in a few months?

Re:the T91 takes a completely different approach.. by cbhacking · 2009-07-15 10:58 · Score: 1

Tablet computers have actually beguin taking off a lot more now. I see them at university and work all the time. Heck, I have one myself, and am extremely happy with it. Hardware has finally reached the point where such a minimal system still has acceptible performance, and software (most of it Windows-based; tablet support in Linux is still pretty rudimentary) has come a LONG way. Running Win7, the tablet can decode handwriting that I would ahve trouble reading myself, and the pen flicks are a very fast and intuitive interface.

I think the main difference is cost. The cheapest brand-new tablets I've ever seen were still over $700, and very, very few are under $1000.

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There's no place I could be, since I've found Serenity...

Rubbish by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 11:27 · Score: 0

3 things going for the trackpoint. 1: It doesn't randomly move the mouse when I'm typing. I routinely bump the stupid touchpad when I'm going for a function key. 2: no 3 drags to get the mouse across the screen. I just push the clit mouse in the direction I want the curor to move, and the cursor moves. 3: I can use the mouse without moving my hands away from the keyboard. I've failed miserably at using the touchpad with my thumb, so I end up manipulating it with a pointer finger. 4: It's fun to say "clit mouse"

Re:portable and power efficient by shoemilk · 2009-07-15 13:23 · Score: 1

Because they are both ugly and don't have a keyboard.

Re:portable and power efficient by macraig · 2009-07-15 15:13 · Score: 1

Mine has a keyboard! Have you heard of Bluetooth? :-)

I think it's actually the smallest thing resembling a normal keyboard on the market: it's the Stowaway Universal Bluetooth Keyboard from Think Outside. It has shortcomings, like no dedicated number keys, but it folds and fits in a pocket just as well as the Pocket PC.

Better than the 399$ Touchbook? by Artemis3 · 2009-07-15 18:30 · Score: 1

http://www.alwaysinnovating.com/touchbook/

# Texas Instruments OMAP3530 with Micron 256MB (RAM) + 256MB (NAND) Memory
# 8.9 inches 1024x600 A+ screen
# Main storage: 8GB SD card -- we decided to change from Micro SD to standard SD, so that you can easily upgrade it
# Internal USB wifi 802.11 b/g/n powered by a Ralink 3070 chipset
# Internal USB bluetooth class 2.1
# FCC, CE, UL-certified, 5V, 3.5A power adapter
# 8.9 inches pressure sensitive touch screen
# US Qwerty 24cm-large keyboard -- around 95% of the size of a standard keyboard
# Cirque Touchpad
# Two Owolff high-quality internal stereo speakers
# 3D accelerometer
# Two internal batteries 6000 and 12000 mAh -- it can be replaced with a screw driver
# 7 USB ports: three external, four internal, three of them may be reserved for wifi, bluetooth and keyboard
# Bi-color silver/black case -- see photos -- with a beautiful dark-red back cover (we decided to go only for red for the first batch as it really jumps out, you won't regret it).
# Secured attachment system of tablet into keyboard
# Independent magnet system for the tablet -- we don't want your Touch Book to un-magnetize all your credit cards while carrying it in your bag!

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Artix
Your Linux, your init.

Re:Does it ...MODDER UP!!! by Anonymous Coward · 2009-07-15 23:24 · Score: 0

the parent is the only comment this slashvertisement is worth

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Asus Launches Eee PC T91, a Touch-Screen Tablet Netbook

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